“Manners Begin at Breakfast” by Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece is the wife of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece. Together they have five children, four boys and one girl. She has her own childrenswear brand called Marie-Chantal, and has a popular parenting blog. You can visit her website at “www.mariechantal. com “Manners Begin at Breakfast” is her first book and I was intrigued by the title, author’s background and delightful graphics. This book is great to have for anyone with children or grandchildren, especially younger kids. It is informative, very easy to follow, well illustrated and a wonderful reference guide for good family etiquette. It covers the following ten items, with a chapter devoted to each topic.
sion on the importance of the topic, followed by some “House Rules” conversation, “The Basics” coverage, a “Q & A” section, and finally, a checklist page and a page to put your notes. The following are some of the book takeaways I thought were interesting and would give you a feel of the book. Enjoy! Manners Begin at Breakfast The author believes “carving out a few minutes each morning to have breakfast with our family creates a structure that is both nurturing and stabilizing.” She also notes “the mere act of eating together has been scientifically proven to promote greater happiness within the family unit, manage portion control, and possibly boost grades.” Importance of Routines
• • • • • • • • • •
At the Table Let’s Talk about Technology To Wear or Not to Wear Travel Tips Play Dates Party Essentials Being a Good Sport Why Family Matters Negotiating Holiday Celebrations Baby Etiquette
Each chapter starts with a brief discus14
KALA MAY 2021
The author is a big believer of routines and traditions, especially since the world is changing constantly. These routines provide structure and a sense of stability for her family. For example, “she serves dinner at about 6:00 pm every evening, then it’s bath time, followed by a story or finishing their homework before bed.” Fork as a Friend I thought it was interesting when Princess Marie-Chantal noted “you should never use a spoon on its own unless it’s for soup, ice cream, or a soft dessert.
According to her mother-in-law, if you do use a spoon, then a fork has to go along with it as a friend. This is usually the case for dessert.” Imagine What Grandmother Would Think The author believes in addition to preparing our children for the real world, we have to also spend time preparing them for the online world. We need to “teach them about cyber bullying, emphasizing the need to think about how they communicate with others and to avoid hurting someone else’s feelings.” She always tells her children “to imagine what grandmother would think before they post a message or picture.” Which Sports are Best for Your Child Per the author’s friend who was an athlete, he recommended “choosing both a team sport and a martial art when picking sports for a young child. The team sport teaches a child to be a good team player, while the martial art
